A Garden of War

The Kingstower (Part III)

Campaign: A Garden of War

30

JAN/14

Session Summary

The 6th Mace of Summer’s Rising

Continuing onward, the group approached a staircase to further ascend the tower. Asgrim froze in shock and began speaking of blood pouring down the stairs before them. No one else could see or hear what the dwarf was perceiving. Taranath suspected a haunt. The group chose to avoid this flight of stairs and crossed the tower to the opposite staircase, where no such blood haunting appeared.

They climbed to find themselves in a small room, beyond which a long hallway ran. Adorning the walls were beautifully woven tapestries. Three such banners hung in the hall, the flags of Irador, the Furyforge, and Brokenbridge. Asgrim approached the dwarven banner, only to find it suddenly emitting an intense heat. They group scrambled away, but not before the banners burst into flames, searing the party. In a flash of light and smoke, the banners were gone, no hint of their existence to be seen. Another haunting, they surmised.

After kicking in several storerooms, Cyric lead the group into a massive kitchen. A huge hearth with a dozen ovens stood at one side of the room, with many tables scattered throughout. The counter-tops shown with the cut-marks of a thousand feasts prepared. Several in the group noticed the deep cuts of one such table beginning to well with blood. Taking no chances and wasting no time, the group immediately evacuated the room before the haunting could fully manifest.

Cahal explored down an opposite hall to find the stairs ascending upward, flanked by large windows. He peered out to the ground below, and through the smoke of the flaming tower perceived forms moving. The druid took wing to get a closer look, and saw countless shambling zombies and skeletons moving toward the tower, as if something was pulling them there.

Next the party entered the great-hall, where the elf-king would have hosted great feasts. A raised table on the far side of the room marked the kings seat, and many more long tables stood on the main floor. Atop the tables, a hundred sets of immaculate silver cutlery sat in place. Opposite the kitchen hearth, another great hearth opened into the hall.

Asgrim strode across the hall and picked up a goblet from the kings table. As soon as he did, the cutlery instantly tarnished and rusted, lifting into the air in a chorus of ringing steel and spinning violently about the hall. From the hearth came a twisted ghost, once an elf, who’d attempted to hang itself down the chimney with tied tablecloths in it’s past life. The cloths had torn, and the elf had fallen to its death, twisting its legs in a grotesque fall down the chimney shaft. Through the door to the kitchen floated the ghost of some elven chef, who’s eyes were replaced with carving knives.

The group fought with wit and strength to overcome the ghosts and the haunting swirl of blades!

The party pushed upward, ascending another flight of stairs to a long, dark hallway that ran the length of the tower. A matching hallway ran perpendicular to the first. At their intersection stood a statue of Aphai the Earthmother.

The group explored several rooms that appeared to be royal living quarters. In one room, a flawless mirror stood atop and ornate vanity. The group made it a point to not look into the mirror.

They continued down the hall and stand before The All-Grower, when the sobs of children filled their ears. From down the hall came small figures, perhaps elven children once, though in the place of limbs and heads, the apparitions seemed constructed of children’s toys. The creatures attacked, stealing Asgrim and Andriel’s voices from their throats before being scattered into piles rotten toys.